$1.5 billion copper smelter planned for construction in Abay regionA copper smelter with an annual capacity of 300,000 tonnes will be built in Kazakhstan's Abay region, according to the government press service.Following a meeting between Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Xi Zhengping, Chairman of the Board of Directors of China Nonferrous Metal Mining Co. Ltd., an agreement worth $1.5 billion was signed to establish the smelter in the Abai region of northeast Kazakhstan."Located near Aktogay village in the Abay region, the plant will use copper concentrate from the Bozshakol and Aktogay mining and processing plants, as well as from Vostoktsvetmet LLP processing plants, creating a cluster combining one of the world's largest copper mines with modern smelting facilities," according to the government press service.The project, expected to cost $1.5 billion, is set to create over 1,000 new jobs, with commissioning scheduled by the end of 2028. The smelter's annual capacity will be 300,000 tonnes of copper.The agreement was signed between KAZ Minerals Smelting LLP and China Nonferrous Metal Industry's Foreign Engineering and Construction Co., Ltd. (NFC), with NFC providing design and equipment procurement services, and NFC Kazakhstan LLP handling construction and commissioning works.The new facility will also produce refined gold, silver, and sulfuric acid, in addition to copper. It is anticipated to be the largest in Kazakhstan, operating in compliance with international environmental standards and meeting local demands for copper processing.China Nonferrous Metal Industry's Foreign Engineering and Construction Company Ltd (Non-Ferrous China) is a state-controlled enterprise listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, engaged in international project contracts and non-ferrous metal resource development. NFC has investments in mining assets worldwide and conducts business in over 20 countries, including China. It previously led projects for KAZ Minerals' Bozshakol, Aktogay, and Bozymchak operations.KAZ Minerals is a copper company focused on large-scale, low-cost, open-pit mining in Kazakhstan. It operates the Bozshakol and Aktogay open pit copper mines in the Abay and Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan, three underground mines and associated concentrators in the Abay and East Kazakhstan regions, and the Bozymchak copper-gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX